Restaurant owner admits hiring illegal aliens

Santiago Palomino-Hernandez, 43, of Manhattan, part owner of El Cazador Inc., admitted that in August 2007 he hired Francisco Urista-Galvan and Jose Lazaro Gutierrez-Vasquez as restaurant workers, even though he knew they were in the United States illegally.

Palomino-Hernandez's company owned three El Cazador restaurants — 1220 S.W. 29th in Topeka, 1029 S. Washington in Junction City and 3003 Anderson in Manhattan. Information about the violation came to light as part of another investigation.

The defendant's brother, Luis Palomino-Hernandez, 48, also is charged in the case. He is a fugitive.

Sentencing is set for Aug. 4, 2008. Palomino-Hernandez faces a maximum penalty of six months in federal prison and a fine up to $3,000.